Retirement: What Next?
With the Federal Aviation Administration’s forced implementation of work rules and pay scales, begun on June 5, the steady progression of NATCA members heading for the facility exits into retirement has increased in volume. But what do these members plan to do once they hang up their headsets for good? The answers vary, but as you’ll read below, members have a lot on their minds these days toiling in an unpleasant work environment and have spent considerable time and energy planning for their post-FAA careers.
Rick Bauman, Evansville Tower
“I submitted my retirement paperwork on the day the contract went to impasse. My retirement plans are this: sell my house (done), move out of it (almost done), move into my tiny mountain retreat in the north Georgia mountains (almost there!), and then forget about the state of the FAA.
“I am a man of many hobbies and going to work 40 hours a week always seems to be getting in the way of life. My first project is to build a big house on the mountaintop lot my wife and I have, with a 30-mile view from fingertip to fingertip. This will have a full basement workshop where I can build and play guitars, Native American flutes, and create stained glass windows in the style of Frank Lloyd Wright. I also make my own beer and have three beers on tap in my own kitchen at all times.”
Phillip Hata, Fort Worth Center
“I will retire March 31, 2008, the day after eligibility. I will be moving to New Zealand and opening a luxury Bed and Breakfast. After 30 years doing this job, I cant wait to leave. The big factor is healthy. What a lot of controllers and the public don't realize is there is a reason they make you retire at age 56; this job is not conducive to good health. Myself and about 12 others in my area at ZFW will be going within two years. It will be interesting to see what happens when we all walk out.”
Larry Patrick, Indianapolis Tower
“I've got several options pending, including doing retirement planning for NATCA members in this area. After being fired in 1981, I worked for an insurance company and did retirement planning for eight years. Several of my friends in the area work at golf courses, doing everything from cutting grass, calling out tee-times and working in the pro shops with a side benefit of getting to play golf several times a week for free. This would leave winters free to be where it's warm and visit my son and family in the Clearwater (Fla.) area.”
Joanne Smith, Oakland Center
“I have 85 weeks and four shifts until retirement. I count down every day. I don't hate my job and I love the people I work with, but after 24 years, there is very little satisfaction in sequencing a string of pearls knowing that you'll be doing the same thing a few more times that day and again the next day and the next.
“I have no plans to work past my eligibility date. The FAA has gone so far downhill in the last few years that it is underground. There is no pride being affiliated with this organization anymore. The older you get, the harder shift work is on your body. I am definitely going to take at least six months and do nothing but relax and that will include riding my bike, hiking, and yoga. I have hundreds of books to read and maybe a few to write. I hope to do some outreach work affiliated with my Celiac disease. I honestly don't ever want to work 40 hours a week again – there is too much of life to enjoy.”
Chris Stephenson, Washington National Tower
“I’m eligible on Sept. 6, 2007. I had always intended to continue in air traffic control until age 56, but with the changing climate in the FAA, that now seems unlikely. I have always said that when I walk away from air traffic control, I am done with it. I don't care if I never see another airplane, unless I am getting on it to go someplace nice. It has been a good ride, but the job and the 80-mile daily commute are growing tiresome.
“I have been informally offered jobs in the local area (Southern Maryland). Two friends of mine own a couple of restaurant/taverns. I already fill in for them as a manager when they need some help, and they have assured me that full-time employment is available upon my retirement. Another friend manages a local heat and air conditioning supply store, and is always looking for good help. What I would really like is to go back to work on a golf course. I started my working life on one at the age of 14, and I think it would be nice to end that way. The idea is not to get rich, just slow down some and find some peace of mind.”
Michelle Wrobleski, Green Bay Tower
“I am eligible in 19 months and 23 days. The goal is to survive and get out. I have many other interests I could pursue. Seeing the world is big on my list. Sleeping past 6:30 a.m. is a big goal. No more quick turns, leaving the house before light, or rescheduling the holiday due to my work schedule will be among my objectives. That, and living for a long time so the FAA has to pay me my retirement for a long time!”
